This invention relates generally to the exchange of telecommunication information and, more particularly, to a system for routing telecommunication cables designed to ease the process of organizing the cables during installation.
Generally, telecommunication cables are used as the medium to distribute telecommunication information. At any local distribution juncture, potentially dozens of telecommunication cables are required to perform the transfer of telecommunication information.
Prior to installing the cables into the various telecommunication components, it is essential that the cable clusters remain organized. The cable clusters are specifically organized to perform required communication functions as the particular pairs represent, for example, different end users. In a particular cabling application, cables are routed to designated ports in connector fields, known in the art, such as the xe2x80x9c110xe2x80x9d connector system, generally through a Patch Panel System Backboard, also known in the art. An installation sheet for the xe2x80x9c110xe2x80x9d cables, entitled xe2x80x9cATandT Practice Instruction Sheet,xe2x80x9d ATandT 631-400-110-12, Issue 1, December 1993, is incorporated by reference herein. The cables are then separated into three to seven cable clusters. The sheaths of the xe2x80x9c110xe2x80x9d cables are typically stripped and the cables are wired through telecommunication components to augment the process of connecting the cables in the telecommunication circuit. The component hardware for the xe2x80x9c110xe2x80x9d connector system usually attaches to ports on the backboard, wherein the components include wire blocks, terminal blocks, guide troughs, jack panels and other related telecommunication components known in the art.
Existing back panels, such as those in the xe2x80x9c110xe2x80x9d connector system, have slots to hold the cables as they are being organized, but the cables tend to fall out of these slots. According to conventional practice in the art, installers attempt to maintain the organization of cable clusters 14a through the use of cable ties 1a, as shown in FIG. 1. However, cable ties take extra time and effort to install.
If cable ties are not used in the existing system, an installer of the cable clusters may have to expend many hours resorting the cables which they already spent perhaps many hours initially sorting. Further, the combination of a typical backboard and cable ties provides little support for the cables. Without the proper support, cables intermingle in a manner which hinders the ability to distinguish between the cable clusters. Consequently, the installer must label each cable cluster using tape or other labelling devices to distinguish one cable cluster from another. In most cases, the installer must remove the cable ties before installing the hardware components.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a cable retention device that reliably retains clusters of cables during installation without the use of cable ties. There is also a need for a retention device that selectively supports the clusters of cables so that the clusters are readily accessible. There is an additional need for a retention device which satisfies these needs and replaces a typical patch panel backboard. There is a further need for a retention device that allows quick and easy installation of component hardware onto a support structure. There is yet another need for a retention device that allows quick and easy installation of other related telecommunication hardware components into the device. Furthermore, there is a need for a retention device which is vertically extendable to accommodate the required number of cable clusters and hardware components.
The present invention provides a retention device for the installation of cabling, comprising a first or bottom surface for connecting the retention device, to a support structure, an aft surface integrally connected to the bottom surface and projecting away from it and a second or top surface, which is integrally connected to the aft surface and has adjacent gripping members which define passages for gripping the cable clusters. clusters. The gripping members are defined by an edge at the distal side of the passage, a proximal edge at the proximal side of the passage and a structural area connecting them. The passage is defined by the proximal edge of one gripping member, the distal edge of an adjacent gripping member and an aft edge at the junction of the top surface and aft surface. The aft edge engages the second surface in an offset manner sufficiently large to generate clearance for, and reduce bending tension of, the cable clusters which engage the retention device during installation. The gripping member further includes a forward end extension integrally connected to its structural area. This forward end extension has first and second projections which extend distally and proximally of the cable passage, respectively, to partially close it. The gripping member includes a third projection, which extends downwardly toward the bottom surface and is integrally connected to the first and second projections of the forward end extension. The combination of the first, second and third projections extends far enough to create a structure that inhibits the cable clusters from sliding or otherwise selectively exiting the passage between the gripping members.